Richmond Premiers represented Port Adelaide by six points in a preliminary final to advance to a third AFL Grand Final in four seasons
The Tigers, with Trump Dustin Martin scoring two goals, won 610 (46) to 64 (40) in a rain-soaked clash at Adelaide Oval on Friday night
Richmond to shoot for third PM in four seasons against winner of Brisbane’s Saturday night bout against Geelong
Martin’s influence featured prominently with 21 eliminations, a high for the team, with four clearances, while teammate Kane Lambert became an unlikely hero with two goals in the last quarter
Lambert’s strikes tipped the scales in a seesaw fall – the margin was never more than 11 points
Dion Prestia (19 touches), Bachar Houli (15 assignments) and Trent Cotchin (17 possessions) were also in the foreground for Richmond
The Power fell woefully far from reaching their first grand final since 2007, with loyal Brad Ebert suffering a potentially career-ending injury
Out-of-contract Ebert, who wears a helmet after suffering concussions multiple times during his 260-game career, was knocked out again after cutting a stray elbow to his head at six minutes from the end
Port, who held first place all season, were beaten despite the gallantry of Xavier Duursma (19 assignments, one goal), Ollie Wines (24 assignments) and Dan Houston (22 touches)
Port’s Peter Ladhams was flagged in a frenzied first quarter, with the ruckman punching Richmond’s Noah Balta in the stomach, though force doesn’t justify a suspension
Port led by two points in the quarter before Connor Rozee increased the buffer to seven points with an elegant snap at the start of the second stanza
But Richmond ace Martin responded with a shot saved from 40m around 10 minutes later as the visitors leveled off
Scores were stuck 33 each at halftime although Port topped the stats with the top eight ground ball winners, 10 more in the 1950s and 14 other contested possessions
The third term followed the tense scenario: Both teams scored one goal each, thanks to Richmond’s Tom Lynch and Power ruckman Scott Lycett
The Tigers were two points ahead in three quarters of the time, but that advantage wore off three minutes into the final quarter when Port Charlie Dixon’s spearhead bombarded a 50m goal to put his team three points higher
Richmond’s Lambert then netted two clutch goals in six minutes, as the visitors slipped 10 points ahead, before Port’s Ladhams converted to drag Power to less than four points
Neither team could find another goal in the nerve-wracking remaining 10 minutes as the Tigers took the final two behind
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World News – AU – Richmond wins history after thrilling final victory over Port Adelaide
